Innocent
by mockingjay1199
Summary: “To love is to risk not being loved in return. To hope is to risk pain. To try is to risk failure, but risk must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing." One-shot from a girl in a district during the rebellion


I wake up in the same place I always have. They take us here when we are young, and we stay here until we die. This place is a building, with no windows or doors to the outside. The building is gleaming, white and seemingly sterile. There are numerous laboratories and dorms. I comb through my long red hair and pull on the white lab coat I have worn as long as I can recall. "Hurry up," my friend Clove says impatiently. "We are going to be late!" Of course we'll be late. We're always late. I put on my shoes and we hurry to Lab 7. It is in the lab where the weapons are developed for our country.

The lab where we work is full of unfinished weaponry. The room is very cramped, with people of all ages working to develop and assemble weaponry of every type. There are guards surrounding all of the exits. We walk over to our station. Our work group is full of sixteen year-olds, and we are the ones who assemble the weapons. Clove pulls out some rolls, which I am certain she stole. Everyone steals food. It's better to be whipped then to starve. She tosses one to me under the table and I take a bite. "Better get back to work," I whisper. We take out our equipment and begin constructing these instruments of death.

After dinner, we stuff food into our pockets and start down the hallway. A scream breaks out. I exchange looks with Clove and we run to the guard's office. I peer inside, as I have done so many times before. What I see is appalling, I have to turn away. Tiny eight-year old Cara is tied to the whipping post. A guard laughs as he brings the whip down sharply. This is the punishment for stealing, but I have never seen it executed on someone so young. "This has to stop," Clove whispers angrily, "We have to do something." I know she's right. My whole life has been spent here, in this lab. I know that life here is horrible, but what can one person do? I've seen what happens to those who try and change. It's not pretty. I've heard that nature is pretty, and I may never have a chance to see it. This could be my only hope. I can't throw this away. "I know," I reply.

In the following weeks we began to form a plan. We met secretly with other workers and slowly prepared our escape. Clove sowed the seeds of rebellion into the workers. She always knew exactly what to say to get people to follow her. I gathered the information necessary to make our escape. "It's time," Clove whispered to me as we woke up one morning. "Spread the word. We escape tonight." We went about our day as usual, trying to act normal. When we got to dinner there were weapons hidden in all of our bags.

At dinner, Clove yells, "You have wronged us for the last time!" She laughs, "Tonight! Tonight we will all be free!" She raises her gun and shoots the first bullet of the rebellion. Panic spreads across the room as we fight. The guards rush into the room and I fight to regain focus as I lift my weapon into position. The battle seems to move slowly and at the same time it passes by so fast. I shoot at a guard running my way. Blood flies everywhere. What have I begun? At this rate I'll be lucky to live through the night. I shoot once more, trying to forget the lives I am taking, the futures that will never be. Will their families mourn? I feel sick to my stomach as I realize that we are no better than they are. Emotions I've never felt come rushing in. Guilt, agony, sorrow. I lift my head, tears streaming down my cheeks, to face the battle once more.

I raise my head to see that most of the guards are gone or dead. I hear Clove's voice ringing high above the crowd, "Finish them off and let's break out of this Hell!" I move along with the mob towards the guard's office. We break down the door and I look around for the exit, the one I've always hoped existed. Finally, I find the door to the outside. I smile as I run over and break it open. The way out. What I've been waiting for my whole life. I gasp as the door flies open and I hear my shock, echoed, in the voices of my fellow workers. It's better than any of us imagined.

I run outside, wind in my hair and I stop and stare. It's so beautiful. I laugh as I take it all in. Clouds, trees, grass. It's everything and more. I never knew anything could be so beautiful. I breathe in deeply. The air is fresh, like nothing I have ever tasted. This is the life I have wanted for all of my existence. I spot Clove and together we laugh. We are still laughing when they reach us. It's an army, bigger than anything I have ever seen, like a black storm moving through our quiet meadow. The ghost of a smile still remains on my face as I am blasted to the ground, a bullet ripping through my sorry life. My existence fades away and I mourn. I mourn for the life I never had, will never have. As my eyes close shut for the last time I hold onto my hopes. Hopes of a better place.

**This is a short story I wrote for English class. It's about a girl during the rebellion, but feel free to make any interpretation you like. It's my first fanfic so read and review! Concrit is gladly welcomed! Seriously, why would I write if I didn't want to know your honest opinion?**


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